‘1945’: Hungarian post-World War II drama packs a punch

The postwar arrival of two Jewish Orthodox men turns a Hungarian town upside down in “1945.”

The postwar arrival of two Jewish Orthodox men turns a Hungarian town upside down in “1945.”

Photo: Menemsha Films

Photo: Menemsha Films

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The postwar arrival of two Jewish Orthodox men turns a Hungarian town upside down in “1945.”

The postwar arrival of two Jewish Orthodox men turns a Hungarian town upside down in “1945.”

Photo: Menemsha Films

‘1945’: Hungarian post-World War II drama packs a punch

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Filmed gorgeously in black and white and often framed with wide vistas, the evocative drama “1945” sometimes has the look and feel of a Western — only in this case, the ultimate showdown pits a pair of Orthodox Jewish visitors against Hungarian villagers who fear that postwar vengeance is coming their way.

World War II has just ended in Europe, but the guilt is just beginning for a small Hungarian town that has illegally taken over shops and homes of Jewish residents who were forcibly removed by the Nazis. The two Jewish visitors are armed only with two harmless crates — purportedly filled with perfume — but their mere presence is about to overwhelm everyone in their path.

Director Ferenc Torok keeps the dialogue at a minimum, but the hushed conversations among the villagers speak volumes, and the film effectively builds tension as more and more secrets come to the surface. Torok juggles plenty of characters and themes — guilt, greed, Russian meddling, the Holocaust, justice — but he always remains firmly in control of his story. Every frame is meticulously crafted.

Most of the action revolves around the ruthless, patriarchal town notary (Peter Rudolf, very good), who is spending the day preparing for his feckless son’s wedding. After the unexpected Jewish guests arrive by train, their slow but steady march to town imbues the film with a palpable sense of dread, and the residents act out in surprising ways.

Even if the film feels like an extended setup, the final moments unharness a subtle power: This is a town that cannot escape its past, and a dark cloud will hover over it for years to come.

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